ROMAN CAMPS IN BRITAIN

1-203630

Expanding and maintaining the Roman empire required military might. While considerable research has been undertaken on Roman frontiers, fortresses, and forts, Roman camps, the subject of this book, are one of the bridesmaids of the study of the fortifications of the Roman army, and were the most basic form of accommodation, occupied for a very limited period of time. Although only occupied for a short period, a number of camp sites have survived the ravages of time to tell us something of the movements and activities of the Roman army in provinces around the empire.

Temporary Roman camp sites have now been recorded the length and breadth of the Roman Empire, but the area with the largest number of recognized camps is that of the island of Britain, with nearly 500 now known.

This book commences with a brief general overview of the Roman conquest of Britain and an explanation of what the Roman camps were used for, with a look at layout, orientation and holding capacity. The second half of the book focuses on the archaeology of Roman camps in Britain, with an explanation of how we know what we know, and looking at the reuse and survival of these structures. The author then considers the relatively recent extensive excavations at Kintore in Aberdeenshire and looks at the distribution of camps and how our archaeological understanding can help interpret their chronology and context.